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    Uther and the Secret of the Dragon

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      I return home I shall instruct my people to make glass from sand.

      ESUIT

      So you will be a glassmaker after you have been a racer?

      Very good, not all riders have long careers and it is

      always useful to have another talent to fall back on..

      GLASSMAKER

      A racer, what horse racing?

      UTHUR

      That’s right, I am riding in this season’s great race.

      A beautiful white stallion from Arabia; I’m told my

      chances are very good.

      GLASSMAKER

      Even though you are going against Jaspar and

      The King’s horse. They have won every race for

      the past five seasons. How confident are you of

      beating them?

      UTHUR

      I am very confident, I have a good horse and I have

      all the skills to take the prize; why, are you going to

      place a wager?

      GLASSMAKER

      I was going to last time but as the king’s horse always

      wins there’s not any point; but if you say you are

      going to provide real competition to them I’d

      wager on you. After all, the other riders appear to

      let Jasper win to gain favour with the king.

      UTHUR

      I don’t want favour, just the pot of gold, that will

      enable me to get things done...

      GLASSMAKER

      Let me give you some advice boy. The race has just

      one jump and it’s at the end of every lap.

      Once the wall is broken down they do not rebuild

      it so stay back for the first two laps and let the

      others crash against it. Once they have flattened

      the wall some will be too injured to continue while

      you will be able to use the damage to get

      faster in the later laps.

      UTHUR

      That’s good advice, I was told there were not jumps

      in the main race...

      GLASSMAKER

      Strictly speaking you are right; because once the wall is

      destroyed the race is on the flat. But during the first

      two laps the wall poses quite a threat to those

      who do not know.

      UTHUR

      Thank you friend; today you have taught me two great

      lessons and I will remember them both.

      GLASSMAKER

      Good luck, I will see you on race day.

      ESUIT and UTHUR head off and after walking for a while in silence she turns to him and whispers.

      ESUIT

      What ‘things’ do you want to do with the winnings,

      if you have them after the race?

      UTHUR

      It’s a long story...

      ESUIT

      Please tell me, I want to know, to understand

      what drives you?

      UTHUR

      Okay, well.... Back in my land my father was a leader

      of men. He organised them to work the land, raise

      livestock and form a protective guard...

      ESUIT

      He was a king?

      UTHUR

      If that’s how you see it, he was just my father to

      me. Anyway a great evil invaded our land and

      Merlain took me away so we might get the power

      to take this evil on and defeat it. It was to that I

      was referring.

      ESUIT

      You are a very brave man, young UTHUR. I......

      Suddenly a loud roar echoes through the city and they both look up to the huts high on the hill...

      UTHUR

      The dragon is noisy today...

      ESUIT

      They must be feeding him again, up there in

      the Tagil.

      UTHUR

      The what?

      ESUIT

      The Tagil, or we should say the Dragontagil, the

      place of dragons. In the same way we just visited

      the Glasstagil, the place of glass...

      UTHUR

      You are such a good teacher; I wish you could come

      with us when we go..

      ESUIT

      Go, but UTHUR, you have only just arrived, where would

      you be thinking of going?

      UTHUR

      After the race we will go further into this land, I have

      a dragon to catch...

     

      ESUIT

      Oh....

      UTHUR

      Just now you said you thought I was a brave young man...

      ESUIT

      Yes?

      UTHUR

      Then you were going to say something else but

      I interrupted you. What were you going to say?

      ESUIT

      Nothing master, I was about to say nothing...

      SCENE 11 EXT DAY

      It’s the day of the race and a circuit has been laid out around the central square. The great bronze bull on the centre is snorting steam and his horns are rising and stabbing the midday air as the King arrives and is placed upon a huge golden Diaz set in front of the bull.

      Behind him two Nubian slaves carry a chest of gold which is placed on the Diaz beside the king. He stands as the crowd roar their approval. In a side ally off the great square the riders are getting prepared including UTHUR, Merlain and Memet. UTHUR has not mounted his hose yet and is busy watching a procession of bald women dressed in long white robes as they carry offerings of flowers and corn around the square to the beating of drums. They approach the bull and lay the offerings at his feet.

      UTHUR

      Memet, who are these strange women?

      MEMET

      They are the keepers of the bull, they are the

      Magi. It’s to do with these people’s religion.

      All nonsense but we cannot hold their beliefs

      against them; each to their own...

      MERLAI|N

      I would like to know how the bull is made to

      dance like so, are they the people who service it.

      MEMET

      The Magi are very dangerous Merlain, they work

      at night when the people sleep so that no one is

      killed by their spells and witchcraft.

      Please leave them alone if you know what’s

      good for you...

      MERLAIN is intrigued by the leading Magi woman and as she lays her offering before the bull he notices her glance in his direction. Her green eyes alarm him and he looks away.

      MERLAIN

      What an interesting looking female, her eyes

      are beautiful.

      MEMET

      She is their Ipsissimus. The woman

      may be beautiful but her looks cover a well of

      destruction; you must treat them with respect my

      friend or suffer the consequences.

      A sudden commotion behind them draws the trio’s attention. They turn to see a large man dressed in black leather, holding a shiny bronze sword and attended by five helpers arrive. His black horse is big to hold the man but is weighed down by bronze medals which hand from the horses straps. Upon the rider’s head is a laurel and corn crown made of beaten gold.

      This is your opposition UTHUR, my boy, its Jasbar

      the King’s rider. See the crown he wears. It has been

      won by him for the last three races.

      MERLAIN

      He’s very fat for a fast rider.

      MEMET

      Don’t let his size put you off, he is a skilled racer and

      he uses his weight to bully the other riders.

      UTHUR

      Does the horse race with all that bronze weight?

      MEMET

      Each year more medals are added, now the man is

      a fool to think his weight combined with the weight

      of the medals will not hinder
    him.

      You have a good chance to take that crown this

      year, just don’t let him frighten you.

      MERLAIN

      What is happening now?

      MEMET

      As the last winner he does a round of the track with

      his stable men in attendance. After showing reverence

      to the magi the rider must give up his crown and then

      we must line up with him with the horses rear

      against the wall there.

      Memet indicates a high wall of brushwood logs which has been built at an angle to the king’s Diaz. The watch Jasbar ride past them and into the square where the crowd roar their approval. With his men in attendance Jasbar does a full circuit of the track and then comes before the great bull and the magi. The leading priestess stands firm while her maidens prostrate themselves about her and Jasbar takes a sheaf of golden corn from his crown and tosses it in her direction. The priestess holds the sheaf aloft and the crowd roars before she turns and reverently places the golden corn at the bull’s feet. The bull roars and snorts his steamy approval.

      Jasbar the turns his steed and faces the king. He removes his crown, holds for the crowd to scream their voices for and then hands it to one of his attendants who place the crown on a red cushion. The attendant walks up the Diaz and presents the crown and cushion to the king; he smiles and instructs the attendant to place the crown and cushion upon the trunk of gold.

      MEMET

      Right UTHUR, you must mount the Queen, the race

      is about to start.

      UTHUR(As he mounts the white stallion)

      I have been advised

      to lay well in the rear for the first round so the others

      destroy the wall. Or do you think I should I lead from the start?

      MEMET

      Let them go, when you are ready just whisper in the

      queen’s ear and she won’t let you down.

      Just be careful of Jasbar’s whip; don’t let him frighten you.

      MERLAIN

      Good luck boy....

      A horn sounds and all the riders leave the side alley and enter the track to the screams of the crowd. They line their horses up against the wall and the King nods at the priestess. She lifts the golden corn sheaf and waits for the King’s instructions.

      The horses rear up with excitement and Jasbar uses the time to examine the other riders, his eyes fall upon UTHUR, dressed in his soft chiffon tunic and leather riding helmet. UTHUR throws his a wide smile as the Queen of Arabia rears up. At that moment the king nods and the Priestess drops the corn. The horses start to race.

      UTHUR stays two or three riders behind the lead and watches as they race around the square, within moments the high thicket wall approaches and he sees the first three horses smash into it throwing thicket bushels and logs in every direction. The first horse is injured and throws its rider as UTHUR points the queen at a newly formed gap in the wall.

      He hears another rider getting thrown from his horse as they jump the wall and races into second position behind Jasbar as they storm past the bull for the first time.

      An Arab riding a two tone stallion is beating at the queen’s heels and UTHUR looks around to see the rider’s expression of mad excitement as the two come side by side. UTHUR looks up and sees the gap in the wall approaching again and points the queen through it as the Arab and two tone smash into a part of the wall which is still strong and both go spiralling over the earth track, a second horse and rider comes over the wall and collides with the prostrate horse throwing both into the air as the crowd roars.

      UTHUR comes side by side with Jasbar who snarls at him and uses his long riding crop to beat out at UTHUR. His initial reaction is to slow and let Jasbar lead where he becomes out of reach.

      MEMET

      Don’t let Jasbar bully you boy, beat him back....

      They approach the wall again and Jasbar flies over it swiftly followed by UTHUR. As they pass the bull for a third times the boys whispers to the Queen to ride like the wind and pass the black steed before them.

      They come side by side and Jasbar hits out with his riding crop again which UTHUR catches and both men pull it this way and that as the wall approaches. As both horses leap through the gaps UTHUR pulls Jasbar’s crop and tosses it into the crowd, he leads as the bull is passed for the final time and the crowd get to their feet to scream him home. As he jumps the wall for a final time Memet screams with joy and hugs and embarrassed Merlain.

      They run onto the track and hold the Queen’s head as UTHUR dismounts proudly. Jasbar pulls up behind him and snarls as his attendants run to help him dismount.

      The king is amazed and happy about the young boy beating the favourite and picks up the cushion with the crown upon it as the priestess crosses from where she has watched the race and joins him.

      UTHUR dismounts and leads his horse to the Diaz as the crowd roar for him. The priestess hushes the crowd and picks up the golden crown from the cushion before bowing low before the king. She turns to face UTHUR..

      AGNESS (The Priestess)

      Tell me your name boy?

      UTHUR

      I am UTHUR of the island of Albion.

      AGNESS

      UTHUR of Albion, a stranger to this city and these shores;

      today the Minator has blessed you with gold....

      The crowd get to their feet and cheer loudly as the king stands beside Agnes and throws the favourite, Jasbar, a contemptuous look.

      MERLAIN (to Memet in the background)

      They say fortune favours the young...

      MEMET

      He had done us both proud today.

      AGNESS

      Kneel before your King, UTHUR of Albion, so I may

      crown you with his glory.

      UTHUR kneels before the priestess and she places the golden crown of laurel and corn upon his thick mop of brown curly hair. He looks up at the beautiful, bald and richly dressed Magi as the crowd eagerly roars their approval again...

      AGNESS smiles at him and steps aside as the King addresses the crowd.

      KING Sin-Muballit MINOS

      People of Babylon; this year my prize has been

      won by a visitor to this city. Not just a visitor

      but a young man whose youth hides his skill

      at horsemanship. I know I am not alone when I say

      this (the king gives Jasbar a condescending glance)

      you boy have surprised me greatly.

      And, we all love to be surprised.

      The crowd roars and claps as Jasbar tries to smile but manages to snarl instead.

      This being so, take this trunk of gold and glory

      in your success. Today the city of Babylon is yours;

      we welcome you and look forwards to seeing you

      spend in excess, party in excess and spread your

      good fortune around our great city...

      The crowd roars again as Jasbar looks about him and sniffs

      JASBAR

      Enjoy your fortune today boy because tomorrow

      you may have to pay for it with blood.

      SCENE 12 INT NIGHT

      UTHUR, MEMET, ADRIUS and MERLAIN are in a room drinking and eating, the trunk of gold is open on the floor and Memet keeps running his fingers through it.

      MEMET

      I will go to the coast and return with a hundred camels

      next time. Adrius, my friend, you must ensure there is

      room to store the goods I bring so we all turn the goods

      into more gold. Merlain, you and the boy will be able to

      buy your own camel train if you want but of course,

      you’re welcome to join us.

      MERLAIN

      Thank you my friend, but I and UTHUR will be leaving

      Babylon in the morning.

      UTHUR

      What?

      MEMET

      Leaving, no, surely not?

      MERLAIN

      We are tr
    avellers, yes, but not without a goal. Our

      mission has a purpose and that is to get what we need

      to return and set our people free. If we grow fat and

      comfortable here we may lose sight of our goal and

      that will be doing a dis-service to all those who have

      died in our absence.

      MEMET

      But the races, you will be expected to defend your

      crown in the next race; who will ride the

      Queen to victory for us?

      UTHUR

      I will.

      MERLAIN

      UTHUR, calm down.

      UTHUR

      No, I must speak. If we have to leave tomorrow

      so be it but I will do everything in my power to

      return before the next race.

      ADRIUS

      I think the boy’s resolve is as strong as his grip

      on the reigns.

      MERLAIN

      I hear you UTHUR and I will not stand in your

      way if this is your true wish. Short term goals are

      always necessary to give us focus in our day to day

      lives; but our long term goal must never change.

      UTHUR

      I agree.

      MEMET

      So, you will have to buy a strong ox to carry your

      share of the gold. It is a dangerous land out there

      beyond the city walls. When I return to the coast

      I will have to pay a small army to protect my investment

      on the journey or I risk losing it all.

      MERLAIN

      I think we can trust Adrius to take care of our

      share until we pass through this city again.

      ADRIUS

      It will be safe here if that’s what you wish.

      MERLAIN

      You have been a good host to us Adrius; you

      welcomed us into your home and fed and watered us.

      In fact without your hospitality I doubt we’d

     
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